How much food do I need to feed 100 people?

Question

I am having my daughter christened in a month and need help figuring out what to have as food. There are going to be 100 guests. Any suggestions on what to serve and how much of it? Please help!

Answer 1

Are you planning on a full meal, or just an appetizer table?

Full meals are much more expensive and also take a lot of time management, whereas appetizer trays can be prepared a day or two in advance and left in the chiller.

With our kids' baptisms, we have about 150 guests, we usually have three full trays with rolled deli meats (about 20lbs) and assorted sliced cheeses (about 10lbs), three trays of assorted breads and buns, four trays of fruit and veggies, a few bowls of nuts, condiments for sandwiches, and a full sheet cake. We did have a punch bowl, but figured out it was easier just to have cans of soda and bottles of water, about 75 of soda, 50 of water. The trays from walmart are really a good deal as well, about $20 each and serve appr 25 people each. Fruit and veggie trays are around $15. If you already having trays, you could save money buy purchasing celery hearts, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and a few little bowls with ranch dips. Fruit is a little trickier, if you want to save money, there's a lot of prep and cutting to do.

Don't forget a good brand of paper plates, plastic utensils, napkins. I would suggest looking into your local bulk store, they often have free days for those who aren't members, or if you know someone who is a member they might buy the stuff for you. It might also be worth it to pay a $30 membership fee to save the money on this.

Congratulations on your daughter's christening, it's a beautiful time!

Answer 2

The first few answers didn't help, anything for 2 points, eh?

May I suggest:

25 lbs of meat should feed 100 people. Chicken is inexpensive or Pork Loin is good, both can be baked, so that won't consume your time.

Fedichinii noodles and alfredo sauce would go with both. I would say probably 15 lbs of raw noodles, then enough sauce to cover them.

Next I suggest an italian blend vegetable, frozen is good, I just bought some for my family at a Super Walmart for $1 per pack, So probably 15 of those.

Dinner rolls, buy 100.

A cake would be the best desert, tell your bakery that you will have 100 guests.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

The easiest option would be to locate a caterer, or simply use a "Fast Food" place to cater. I know this sounds strange, but restaurants like Kentucy Fried Chicken, and Buddy's Barbeque, cater events for around $3-$6 per person. This would be the least stressful option, but of course, not the cheapest. If you're intent on cooking yourself, do try for something simple.

Chicken can be baked in large quantities....1 breast per person would be okay, as long as you don't have any heavy eaters being invited. Still, 100 raw, boneless, skinless, chicken breasts is going to run you around $100-$200 depending on where and how you buy it, and then you'll still have to cook it, and find other things to go along with it.

Hamburger meat is pretty cheap, but you'll have to shape and form 100-200 hamburgers and cook them all, and then open 20-30 bags of potato chips....You'd need around 30-40 pounds of hamburger meat, which is gonna cost about $80-$100.

Looks to me, if you can find a cheap caterer, or get a family member to chip in on helping to cook, you'd be better off.

Buddy's Barbeque lets you choose chicken, pork, or beef, and provides the buns and side items. They have slaw and corn and potato salad and stuff like that.

You could also do a pot luck type thing, as everyone to bring a vegetable and then you provide the meat and such. Maybe the church where she is being christened could pitch in?

I'm not sure of your budget here, so it's hard to help...

Answer 4

For 100 guests a buffet style brunch may be your best bet. You could have a few egg dishes, sausage, ham, potato, fruit salad, and then a cake for dessert. Also have coffee and juice available for beverage. A budget of about $2-3 per person should get you enough food to feed everyone.

Edit: I can't believe that the person who answered before me first answered with "a lot" then after I answered she copied and pasted my answer. But whatever, I just wanted to let you know what she did, obviously she thought my answer was a good one.

Answer 5

We had a similar party and here's what we did.

4 appetizers (the pre-packaged, frozen kind, and one dip with chips)
4 salads (1 pasta, 1 green, 1 potato, 1 fruit) all brought by my closest friends, who really wanted to help.
3 roasted meats (beef, ham, turkey) sliced for making sandwiches
A cheese/pickle tray
Rolls and condiments for sandwich making

Dessert - a huge cake I made, but it could easily be ordered in.

The very best thing I did for that party, a 50th wedding anniversary party for my parents, was to hire a young woman (with experience as a buffet hostess at a local resort) from my office to run the kitchen. She kept the table loaded with appetizers and food, helped cut and dish out the cake, and by the time the guests started leaving, she had the kitchen cleaned up. I also paid two local high school students to be servers.. and she managed them perfectly. It was amazing!! We paid her twice what she'd agreed to originally.

Other ideas?? Contact a local favorite restaurant and see what they'll charge you to cater it. I have a favorite Mexican restaurant that is happy to put on food for working lunches, tailgate parties, etc.... just let them know what you need and see what they can do.

Just don't take on too much yourself...

Answer 6

For 100 guests a buffet style brunch may be your best bet. You could have a few egg dishes, sausage, ham, potato, fruit salad, and then a cake for dessert. Also have coffee and juice available for beverage. A budget of about $2-3 per person should get you enough food to feed everyone.

Answer 7

Get it catered. That's the best thing they will know what an how much.

Answer 8

atleast 200 of each item

Answer 9

lots

Answer 10

a lot